One-line Reviews
| Nothing |
"David Bruce's Nothing is a pretty well flawless piece"
Michael Church, The Independent ★★★★★, Feb 2016 "as moving, authentic and thought-provoking an opera you’re likely to see for some time. " Edward Bhesania, The Stage ★★★★★, Feb 2016 "Nothing is the most powerful contemporary opera I’ve seen since Written on Skin, which is high praise indeed." Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack.com★★★★★, Feb 2016 |
| Night Parade |
"a swaggering, energizing orchestral showcase"
Jim Chute, San Diego Union Tribune, Oct 30th, 2013 "'Night Parade' is smart and engaging" Anthony Thommasini, New York times, Oct 31st, 2013 "I love, love, loved, this piece of music and even brought myself to shout out a rare 'Bravo!' when the composer took the stage" Garrett Harris, San Diego Reader, Oct 2013 |
| That Time with You |
"a song cycle that should be heard again and again. "
Stephanie Adrian , ArtsATL.com, Oct 2013 "an eclectic range of styles united by an intoxicating haziness." Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, Oct 31st, 2013 |
| Cut the Rug |
"An expedition through joy and sorrow "
Adabelle Ekechukwu, Harvard Crimson, Jan 31st, 2012 "the whole piece felt – and sounded – like one big party " Kay Kempin, Bachtrack.com, Oct 2013 "the physical and spiritual worlds...collided, to vibrant effect, in David Bruce's 'Cut the Rug,'" Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim, New York Times, Oct 18th, 2013 |
| The Firework Maker's Daughter |
"the most utterly endearing, joyous and delightful show I've seen in ages"
Michael White, The Telegraph, Apr 2013 "an amazingly deft score...a delightful show, sweetly told and with just the right amount of seriousness to ballast its charm. " Robert Thicknesse, The Tablet Magazine, May 2013 "this huge-hearted, fast-moving caper." Anna Picard, The Independent, Mar 2013 "The Firework Maker's Daughter is a wonderful entertainment: how often can we say that of a new opera?" Ron Simpson, Whatsonstage.com, Mar 2013 |
| Steampunk |
"Steampunk was joy, real joy. "
Harry Rolnick, concertonet.com, Feb 8th, 2011 "a polished, wry chamber work that should find a wide following," Ken Herman, SanDiegoStory.com, May, 2013 |
| The Eye of Night |
"Simply one of the greatest compositions for flute, viola, and harp I’ve heard in years."
Christian Herzog, Sequenza21.com, Jan 23rd, 2011 |
| The North Wind was a Woman |
"Brilliantly scored...hugely impressive."
George Hall, The Guardian, 19 Aug 2011 "One of the most smashing successes for a new work I have seen in a long time." David Finckel, CMS Blog, 25 Sept 2009 "Ravishingly beautiful" Kenneth Herman, SanDiego.com, 3 May 2011 |
| Gumboots |
"The second it ended, their listeners leaped to their feet, screaming and shouting, like they'd been blown out of aircraft ejection seats. "
Lindsay Koob, Charleston City Paper, June 2, 2010 "lively...jubillant...joyous" Vivien Schweitzer, New York Times, Oct 24, 2008 |
| A Bird in Your Ear |
"Extraordinarily moving "
Frank J.Oteri, New Music Box "The music, rich with imagined folk tunes, undulant accompaniment patterns and vibrant choral writing, is delicate, tartly tonal and lucidly orchestrated. " Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, 4 May, 2009 "Bruce's and Middleton's opera appealed to me at some primary level." Karren LaLonde Alenie, Scene 4 Magazine, June 2009 |
| Piosenki |
"His writing is masterful, both in setting text to melody, and
in orchestrating sound for nine players."
James Hennerty, Times Union, 7 Oct, 2007 |
| Push! |
"This was a dazzling show by any standards...Push! is simply brilliant from start to finish."
Roderic Dunnett, Opera Now, Nov/Dec 06 "Bruce's writing comes close to operatic genius " Warwick Thompson, Metro, 21 June 06 |
